Give This Kew Gardens Housing Site Historic Status, Governor Says

KEW GARDENS, QUEENS — Governor Kathy Hochul recommended that a Kew Gardens apartment complex be granted historic status.

Hampton Court, a housing site nestled on the edge of Forest Park, is among 21 statewide properties that Hochul recommended for recognition by the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

"As we reflect on the broad and diverse history of the Empire State, these nominations represent the places behind the inspiring stories from our past," Hochul said in a statement last week after announcing the nominations, five of which are in New York City.

"These additions tot he historic registers will help ensure resources are available to protect historic sites so that the past can continue to inspire us today — and into the future," she added.

Once a site is granted historic status, owners can apply for public preservation programs and services, including state grants and state and federal tax credits, that can help to revitalize the properties.

Built in 1937, Hampton Court was designed by the award-winning architect Benjamin Braunstein, who was best known for his large, cost-effective garden complex apartments that still maximized light, air, and open space, making them appealing to middle-class families.

The Kew Gardens complex, which was originally known as Kent Manor, was among those, appealing to New Yorkers of different backgrounds and races.

To this day, the complex, which is now a 316-unit co-op, serves a diverse mix of residents, according to the Governor's office.

Hampton Court is among three housing sites in the city nominated for historic status in addition to an open-air market in Manhattan and a rail station in the Bronx.

If added to the register, which requires approval by the State Historic Preservation officer and then a nomination and review by the National Register, the Kew Gardens property can still be developed at any time in the future (unlike a landmarked building, which requires approval for development in New York).